The present invention pertains to automotive visors and particularly to a slide mechanism for such a visor.
There is a variety of visors which extend outwardly from a storage position behind a vehicle headliner. Such construction is represented, for example, by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,491,360; 4,492,404; and 4,989,910. In order to provide a smooth acting visor control for the movement of the visors from behind the headliner outwardly to a lowered use position, typically multiple pivot arms have been used or a synchronized rack and pinion guide mechanism to provide stable, smooth operation of the visor in its movement.
Sliding planar visors which extend in edge tracks and include stabilizing mechanisms are also known and are typified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,749. Such visors tend to bind or stick due in part to widely varying temperatures to which a visor positioned immediately adjacent the roof are subjected in the automotive environment. A visor which extends behind the headliner must be capable of withstanding 100 F. or greater temperature differentials during their operation and still present approximately the same general operational characteristics or "feel" to the user. It has been discovered that a simple sliding mechanism such as a rectangular visor panel captively held at opposite edges in tracks will not provide this desired visor control. Further, in order to provide the extension of a reasonable sized panel-shaped visor, the slide mechanism must have sufficient size and strength to support a relatively large visor panel. In compactly designed vehicles where windshields are severely angled, space in the headliner area is at a premium and prevents the use of large conventional slide mechanisms.